I have been to the Kura Sushi at the west entrance of Ikebukuro a few times, but this was my first time at the Higashi-guchi store. It's a new store with a bright atmosphere, and we were able to be seated quickly as we made a reservation online. It's nice that you can order sushi with small portions here. We were able to try a variety of sushi and the sake went down smoothly. The gizzard shad and Pacific saury were delicious.

This Kura Sushi is located near the Ikebukuro West Exit, right by the Tobu Line ticket gate, so it's often crowded with people waiting to get in whenever I peek inside. I usually don't pay much attention to it, but on this day, I got back late and thought I might be able to get in since it was close to closing time. Luckily, there was a single seat available and I was seated immediately. Looking around the restaurant, I noticed that it was quite spacious. And interestingly, all the single seats were occupied by female customers only. Since it was close to closing time, there were only a few items rotating on the conveyor belt. I quickly ordered using the touch panel without much thought. Some recommended items were already sold out, so I didn't have many choices. I settled for some standard dishes. While selecting special items might have elevated the quality of the sushi, I didn't feel like making the effort. This might be due to my frugal nature. However, I couldn't help but laugh when my draft beer arrived in a deep dish. As the conveyor belt started to display the glowing lights, I hurried to the unmanned cashier to pay. It's a budget-friendly option, but I feel more satisfied with the sushi at Tenka Sushi. Comparing the sushi quality at the end of the day might not be fair, but it is what it is. For Tobu Line users, being able to catch the desired train with ease by finishing the payment five minutes before closing is convenient.

This time, I visited the Kura Sushi Ikebukuro Nishiguchi branch. They regularly hold campaigns and have many commercials, making them a popular chain. This time, they were having a New Year's + Crab Fair. The sushi was very fresh with a strong sweetness overall. Despite being a chain restaurant, the quality of the sushi rice was quite high, and I once again realized the high cost performance ratio. The sushi was easy to eat and delicious, with no thawed or left out too long ingredients. The restaurant was crowded with many customers, so I recommend making a reservation online, especially during peak hours.

I started by ordering the "Three Kinds of Shellfish Platter" using the touch panel. The shucked clams were large, fresh, with a nice crunchy texture, and delicious. The red clams were small and average in taste. I can't remember the third kind, but I think it was like simmered turban shell. Next, the "Extra-Large Tuna Sashimi" looked and tasted like a big catch, but I would have preferred a little more seasoning. The "Large Shellfish Gunkan Sushi" was a mountain of small shellfish pieces that fell apart easily when trying to eat them. They were marinated and tasted decent. The "Tuna Yukke" seemed to be a mix of tuna and salmon, which was unexpected. The "Seared Blackthroat Seabream" was a true delicacy with a pleasant smoky and sweet flavor in each bite. The "Iberico Tuna Toro" felt quite oily. To finish, I had the "Sesame-Flavored Tan Tan Noodles," which had visible sesame seeds but didn't have a strong sesame aroma as expected. I thought the portion of noodles was a bit small. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

Kura Sushi is located just outside the Metropolitan Exit of Ikebukuro West Gate. You can enjoy sushi starting at 125 yen per plate. Recently, Kura Sushi has made it possible to make reservations through your smartphone, so you don't have to wait in line at the restaurant. You can even make advance reservations on your phone, which is amazing. The checkout is self-service, and the tables are indicated by panels, so there is no need for extra staff, which I found wonderful. There are plenty of tables, and the partitions are high, so you don't have to worry about the neighboring seats. You can order from the tablet provided, and the plates come out quickly. Recently, they have introduced a series of freshly made dishes priced at 250 yen, offering high-quality sushi. The most delicious ones were the fresh salmon, ikura, red salmon, ikura, gunkan sushi, aged red sea bream, and large-cut yellowtail. Please consider this review. It was a clean and pleasant experience at Kura Sushi.

This building is located in a super convenient location with direct access from the Metropolitan exit. I have been truly grateful to both Mister Donut and Sakana Takewaka, the predecessor of Kura Sushi. With a prime location where you can hardly lose if you run a proper business, Kura Sushi's brand and product power seem to make this store a long-standing flagship store. However, Takewaka was acquired by Tempo's subsidiary "Asakuma" and seemed to be in good hands... until just before the spread of the coronavirus in February 2020, Asakuma also became a subsidiary, so they sold at a really good timing. A year later, Asakuma suffered impairment of goodwill, so it was a really skillful exit.

A new "Kura Sushi" has opened at the west entrance of Ikebukuro. I wonder how many times I have descended these stairs? It is located on the former site of the renowned "Tsukiji Takewaka" restaurant. The huge fish tank that used to be right in front as you entered the store is now gone. Many of the shops I used to frequent in the Tobu ANEX Building, such as "Tsukiji Takewaka" on the basement floor, "Cafe de Monde" on the first floor, "Mitaya" on the third floor, and "Hamanobu" on the fourth floor, have all disappeared. This building, which was quite lively around 10 years ago, now seems quiet. Now, this restaurant is a typical "Kura Sushi," but the prices are higher than usual for a city center location. Plates that used to be 110 yen are now 125 yen, 220 yen plates are 250 yen, and 330 yen plates are 375 yen. I tried a few plates, including "375 yen" plates like "Live Kanpachi" and "Extra Large Cut Eel Bowl," "250 yen" plates like "Aged Medium Fatty Tuna," "Aged Red Snapper," "Hiramasu," and "Awabi Gunkan," and "125 yen" plates like "Seafood Salad" and "Sea Urchin Seafood Gunkan." I also had the "Clam Miso Soup" (240 yen). Overall, the food was delicious, but ironically, the only thing that reminded me of the old "Kura Sushi" was the 125 yen gunkan sushi. The eel sushi was also notable for its size. However, in terms of overall quality, I couldn't help but feel that "Sushiro" was slightly ahead. As a long-time fan of "Kura Sushi," it's hard to admit, but the current state of things inevitably leads to such comparisons. Thank you for the meal. (By Kyanatsushiku, July 6, 2022) (First review, 789th restaurant) (Previously registered restaurant)

I love Sharikola.